Car coupler



Feb. 19, 1952 w, J, METZGER 7 2,585,958

CAR COUPLER Filed June 26, 1946 2 SHEETSSHEET l MN MW IN V EN TOR.

Wl liam J. 171': er BY 4% AM i ATTORNEY I Feb. 19, 1952 w, J, METZGER 2,585,958

CAR COUPLER Filed June 26, 1946 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR. \Jilliam J. Net: er

A TTORNEY Patented Feb. 19, 1952 CAR COUPLER William J. Metzger, East Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to National Malleable and Steel Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 26, 1946, Serial No. 679,369

12 Claims.

This invention relates to car couplers and more particularly to anticreep means for pre-' venting undesired unlocking of the coupler in service.

Couplers in service are subjected to bouncing as well as shocks of various types which may result in upward creeping or movement of the lock and eventual unlocking of the coupler. Any means on the coupler in order to preclude unlocking thereof must be substantially unaffected by the various movements which the coupler undergoes so that it will remain in position to be effective. Accordingly, it is the main object of my invention to provide means on a coupler which will effectively preclude undesired unlocking thereof under all conditions of service. Another object is to provide means whichin addition to effectively precluding undesired. unlocking of the coupler assures a positive lockset position of the lock during intentional unlocking of the coupler.

My invention comprises various improvements over the anticreep means shown in my Patent No. 2,350,470. More specifically, my invention comprises a novel lock lifter link which provides a new action whereby, while permitting easy operation of the associated mechanism to eiiect desired unlocking of the coupler, undesired unlocking thereof is efiectively precluded.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be clear from the following description of my invention taken in conjunction with the .drawingsinwhich: a

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a coupler embodying the invention, showing the parts in locked position.

Fig. 2 is a partial view in longitudinal section showing the relative position of the parts after limited rotation of the rotor lever.

Fig. 3 is a partial view in longitudinal section showing the relative position of the parts upon further rotation of the rotor lever, the anticreep means being disengaged. The lock is shown partly broken away.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the lock partly raised, the lock being partly broken away.

Fig. 5 is a partial view in longitudinal section showing the lock moved upwardly until the anticreep is in engagement, part of the lock being broken away.

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 1, the lifter link and lock being shown in full.

Fig. 7 is a partial view showing the lock in lock-set position.

Referring to the drawings, the coupler body It} has the usual knuckle ll pivotally attached thereto about a vertical pivot. The knuckle has a tail portion l2 which is adapted to be received within chamber 13 of the coupler-body when the knuckle is swung to closed position. A knuckle thrower I4 is pivotally mounted within the coupler head so as to swing in a horizontal plane and is adapted to move the knuckle to open posi-' tion during uncoupling. The tail i2 is provided with a shelf or projection [5 upon which lock I6 rests when in locked position. Although the lock has been shown as seating on shelf 15, this manner of seating the lock is not essential to the operation of my invention, and, any suitable lock seating or supporting means may be used. The knuckle in the embodiment shown is held in locked position by engagement of the lock with the locking face I! of the knuckle tail and side wall l8 of the coupler.

The lock has a depending portion or leg H) which is received in the lower part of chamber l3 and has a laterally projecting horizontal trunnion 20 at its lower end. The lock lifter link 2| which operatively connects lock leg [9 and the rotor lever 30, has near its middle an elongated opening or slot 22 for receiving trunnion 2B. This pin and slot connection between the link and lock permits the link to pivot as well as slide relative to the lock, and. the particular novelty of this arrangement will be hereinafter described.

The link has an anticreep arm 23 which extends above trunnion 20 and in locked position of the coupler underlies shelf i5of the knuckle tail. The end of arm 23 is adapted to engage the underside of this shelf to limit upward movement or creeping of the look as may take place in service, thereby precluding undesired unlocking of the coupler. Slot 22 is so disposed that in reposed position of the coupler parts, as shown in Fig. 1, arm 23 tilts forwardly into recess 24 in front wall 25. It will be noted that in this position (coupler locked) trunnion 20 engages the upper end of slot 22. This slot is inclined upwardly and rearwardly so that the weight distribution of the link will be such as will urge arm 23 forwardly of the coupler and beneath shelf l5. Link 2! has a lower arm 26 provided with an elongated opening or slot 21 for receiving a pin or rivet 28 which operatively joins the link and rotor lever 30. The rotor lever is pivotally mounted on the coupler head on trunnions 3| and is adapted to swing into the lock receiving part of chamber I3 during the uncoupling operation. The lever has a bifurcated portion 32 which receives arm 28. Slot 21 and pin 28, which 3 passes through slot 21 and into the bifurcated portion, permit the lever to be swung into engagement with the bottom of the lock leg when the lock is in locked position, as .at 33 (Fig. 2). Adjacent portion 32 the lever has a weighted portion 34 to permit substantial blows to be imparted to the bottom of the lock to loosen it prior to uncoupling in the event it becomes wedged in locked position. The lever has an eye 35 on each side thereof for receiving the hooked end of an uncoupling rod 36 for rotating the lever.

The various parts of the coupler cooperate in such a manner that upon rotation of lever 30 anticreep arm 23 is withdrawn from beneath shelf I5, and the lock is raised to unlocked position in the upper portion of chamber I3.

With the coupler locked and the parts at rest, rivet 28 bears against the lower end of slot 21 in the link. Slot 2'! is of such length and is so disposed that as the rotor lever is pivotedinto engagement with the bottom of the lock leg (Fig. 2), rivet 28 occupies a position in the upper end of the slot and anticreep arm 23 of the lifter link is still substantially beneath shelf I5 of the knuckle tail. It will be noted that trunnion 20 still remains in the upper end of slot 22 and has so remained throughout this operation. Furthermore, since trunnion 20 engages the upper end of slot 22, arm '23 cannot be moved in a rearward direction unless the trunnion in effect slides along the upper surface 31 of the slot from the rearward to the forward end thereof. This is an uphill action which resists such rearward movement of the link and results in arm 23 remaining beneath shelf I5. Thus while the lock is in locked position, for any pivotal movement of the rotor lever from rest position to engagement with the lock leg arm 23 will be in position beneath shelf I5 to preclude movement of the lock to unlocked position. The action of the link in thus remaining in position to limit upward movement of the lock constitutes an important feature of the invention in precluding unlocking of the coupler due to bouncing and shocks received in service.

A further advantage resulting from the pin and slot connection between the link and the lock is that the overlap permissible between anticreep arm 23 and shelf I5 has been increased, thereby improving the effectiveness of the anticreep. This increased overlap is preferably obtained by extending shelf I5 further rearwardly. However, it may be obtained by increasing the width of the upper end of arm 23 by the addition of metal to the front or forward side thereof as at 38. It either case it will be apparent that arm 23 will have to move rearwardly a greater amount to clear shelf I5 before the lock can move upwards. During desired unlocking of the coupler, slot 22 will allow the link to move rearwardly an amount sufiicient to bring arm 23 clear of shelf I5 and permit raising of the lock to unlocked position (Fig. 3).

In Fig. 5 the lock has been shown raised bodily from its position in Fig. 1 until arm 23 has engaged the underside of shelf I5, showin the operation of the anticreep. It will be observed that trunnion 20 still engages the upper or rearward end of slot 22. The underside 40 ofshelf I5 is concavely curved, and the engaging end surface 4| of arm 23 is correspondingly curved, the center of curvature being at a point located between the end of the arm and slot 22. It will be apparent then that when these surfaces are in engage.- ment, arm 23 cannot move from beneath the 42 resting on the thrower (Fig. 7).

'tom of the lock'as at 33 (Fig. 2).

shelf unless the lock first is lowered, due to the camming action between these surfaces. However, lowering of the lock must proceed against the pressure of the knuckle tail which is suflicient to cause the arm to remain effective in its anticreep position.

The action of the parts during intentional unlocking of the coupler will now be described. From the position shown in Fig. 1 initial rota tion of the rotor lever with uncoupling rod 36 brings the lever into engagement with the bot- Arm 23 of the lifter link pivots rearwardly but as previously stated this preliminary rotation of the lever does not withdraw the arm from beneath shelf I5, a substantial overlap still existing. Trunnion 20 on the lock leg occupies the rearward end of slot 22 throughout this operation. Thereafter, as rotation of the lever continues, a predetermined amount of lifting of the lock is accomplished by direct engagement of the. rotor lever with the bottom of the lock leg. In the event the lock is stuck in locked position, it may become necessary to give the bottom of the look a few blows by swinging the rotor lever into engagement therewith to loosen it. As the lock is being lifted, arm 23 of the lifter link is moved rearwardly so as to be withdrawn from beneath shelf I5. This operation is effected by the relative sliding of the trunnion 20 from the rearward end of slot 22 to the forward end thereof. This relative sliding action between the link and lock is necessary to bring arm 23' clear of shelf I5 to permit raising of the lock to unlocked position. This action results from the relative positions of slots 22 and 21 in the lifter link. As rotation of the lever continues the parts become so positioned that the lifting force of the lever is transferred through rivet 28 to the lifter link and thence to trunnion 20 of the look, as shown in Fig. 3. As lifting of the lock in this manner progresses, trunnion 20 remains in the forward end of slot 22 (Fig. 4) until a point is reached just before lockset position, at which time the trunnion slides back to the rearward end of the slot and assures a positive lockset position, with seat 42 of the lock leg resting on the knuckle thrower I4. This sliding action is due to the link becoming so disposed that the forward end of slot 22 is at a higher elevation than the rearward end and presents a sloping surface 43 down which the trunm'on slides, throwing the lock leg rearwardly against the knuckle thrower, with lock leg seat If desired, opening of the knuckle may be accomplished by further rotation of the rotor lever.

It will thus be seen that the pin and slot connection between the link and lock affords several advantages. It makes possible an arrangement whereby anti-creep arm 23 gravitates forwardly of the coupler to provide an effective overlap between the knuckle tail and the arm to form an efficient anticreep. This connection provides further the feature that the link must slide uphill on trunnion 20 in order that anticreep arm 23 move rearwardly. It permits the anticreep to be easily disengaged during intentional unlocking of the coupler. In addition, during intentional unlocking of the coupler it provides an action which assures movement of the lock to lockset position.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a car coupler a knuckle having a tail, a vertically movable lock having a downwardly extending leg, a rotor lever pivoted to the coupler, a link member having a pair of spaced slots, said link having a portion extending above said slots adapted to engage the underside of said tail to limit upward movement of said lock, pivot means on said lever received in one of said slots for operatively connecting said link to said lever, said leg having a trunnion extending into the other of said slots, said link being adapted to rotate about said trunnion at one end of said slot in response to initial rotation of said lever to move said portion partly from beneath said tail, said link being movable to a position in which said trunnion is in the other end of said slot to withdraw said portion entirely from beneath said tail upon further rotation of said lever.

2. In a car coupler a pivoted knuckle having a tail, a lock having a depending leg, a link having an elongated slot, said leg having a trunnion'extending into said slot and occupying one end of said slot while the coupler is locked, the upper end of said link being adapted to engage the underside of said tail to limit upward movement of said look, a rotor lever pivoted to said coupler and having a pin and slot connection with said link, said pin and slot connection upon initial rotation of said lever being adapted to rotate said link about said trunnion at one end of said slot to partly withdraw said link end from beneath said tail, said link being shiftable upon further rotation of said lever to a position in which said trunnion occupies the other end of said slot and said link end is withdrawn from beneath said tail.

3. In a car coupler a knuckle having a tail, a lock having a depending leg, a rotor lever pivoted to the coupler, a link having an arm adapted normally to underlie said tail to limit upward movement of said lock, said link having a pair of spaced slots for receiving pin means on said leg and lever, the slots in said link being so disposed that upon initial rotation of said lever said link is first pivoted at one end of said slot about said pin means on said leg to move said arm partly from beneath said tail, and upon further rotation of said lever said link is shiftable to a position in which said pin means on said leg occupies the other end of said slot and said arm is completely withdrawn from beneath said tail.

4. In a car coupler a knuckle having a tail, a vertically movable lock, a rotor lever pivoted to the coupler, a link member operatively connecting said lock and lever, said member having a pair of elongated slots, one of said slots receiving pin means on said lever, anticreep means for said lock, said means comprising an arm on said link member adapted to engage the underside of said tail to limit upward movement of said lock and a trunnion on said lock extending into the other of said slots, said slots being so arranged that upon initial rotation of said lever said link is rotated about said trunnion at one end of said other slot to partly withdraw said arm from beneath said tail, and upon further rotation of said lever said link is moved to a position in which said trunnion occupies the other end of said other slot and said arm is completely withdrawn from beneath said tail.

5. In a car coupler a knuckle having a tail, a

vertically movable look, a rotor lever pivoted to the coupler, a link member operatively connecting said lever and lock, said link having stop means thereon adapted to engage the underside of said tail to limit upward movement of said lock, said link having a pair of spaced slots positioned below said means, pivot means on said lock adapted to be received in one of said slots and pivot means on said rotor lever adapted to be received in the other of said slots, said slots being so disposed that upon initial rotation of said lever said link is rotated about said trunnion to withdraw said stop means partly from beneath said tail, and upon further rotation of said lever said link is so moved that relative sliding of said trunnion in said slot occurs and said link means is withdrawn completely from beneath said tail.

6. In a car coupler a knuckle having a tail, a vertically movable look, a rotor lever pivoted to the coupler, a link member operatively connecting said lever and lock, one end of said link underlying said tail to limit upward movement of said look when the latter is in locked position, said link having an elongated slot inclined upwardly and rearwardly, said lock having a trunnion extending into said slot and supporting said link in the upper end thereof, said link being rotatable about said trunnion at said upper end ofsaid slot to partly withdraw said link end from beneath said tail upon initial rotation of said lever, thereafter said link being movable so that said trunnion is disposed in the other end of said slot and said link end is withdrawn from beneath said tail.

7. In a car coupler a knuckle having a tail, a vertically movable look, a rotor lever pivoted to the coupler, a link member operatively connecting said lock and lever, and anticreep means for said lock, said means comprising said link, said link having a portion adapted to underlie said tail to limit upward movement of said look when the latter is in locked position, said link also having a slot inclined upwardly and rearwardly, and pivot means on said lock extending into said slot and supporting said link in the rearward end of said slot, said portion of said link upon initial rota tion of said lever being adapted to swing rearwardly about said pivot means to a position in which said portion is partly withdrawn from beneath said tail, and upon further rotation of said lever said link is displaced to a position in which said pivot means occupies the forward end of said slot and said portion is completely withdrawn from beneath said tail.

8. In a car coupler, a knuckle having a tail and a vertically movable lock, a rotor lever pivoted to said coupler, a link having a pair of slotted connections operatively joining said rotor lever and lock, said link having a portion extending above said slotted connections and normally underlying said knuckle tail to limit undesired upward movement of said lock, one of said slotted connections upon initial actuation of said lever being adapted to move said portion of said link partially from beneath said knuckle tail prior to upward movement of said lock and upon further actuation of said lever the other of said slotted connections being adapted to complete the movement of said portion from beneath the knuckle tail.

9. A lock lifter link for a car coupler operating mechanism adapted to form an anticreep for the coupler lock in conjunction with the coupler knuckle tail, said link having a pair of elongated slots adapted for pivotally and slidably connecting said link with the coupler lock and with a rotor member pivoted to the coupler, said link having an arm extending above said slots and adapted to underlie the knuckle tail. 7

10. A look lifter link for a car coupler operating mechanism adapted for operatively connecting the coupler lock with a rotor member pivoted to the coupler, said link having a pair of elongated slots for efiecting said connections, said link hav ing an end portion remote from said slots and adapted to engage the underside of the coupler knuckle tail to limit undesired upward movement of the coupler lock.

11. In a car coupler a knuckle having a tail, a vertically movable lock having a depending leg, a rotor lever pivoted to the coupler and adapted to swing into engagement with the bottom of said leg prior to upward movement of said lock, a link member having a pair of slotted connections operatively joining said lock and rotor lever, and means on said link extending above said slotted connections and adapted to engage the underside of said tail to limit upward movement of said lock, said connections during rotation of said lever into engagement with said leg being adapted to move said means partially from beneath said tail and upon further rotation of said lever being adapted to move said means completely from beneath said tail to enable upward movement of said lock.

12. In a car coupler a vertically movable lock,

a rotor lever, abutment means, and a lifter link connected to said lock by a pin and slot connection and connected to said lever by another pin and slot connection, said link having a portion extending above said pin and slot connections and adapted to underlie said abutment means to limit upward movement of said lock, said pin and slot connection between said link and lever upon initial actuation of said lever being adapted to pivot said link, to withdraw said portion partly from beneath said abutment means, said pin and slot connection between said link and look upon further actuation of said lever being adapted to withdraw said portion entirely from beneath said abutment means.

WILLIAM J. METZGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,479,100 Kelso Jan. 1, 1924 1,702,372 Wittmer Feb. 19, 1929 1,932,440 Bazeley Oct. 31, 1933 2,170,391 Bazeley Aug. 29, 1939 2,283,080 Metzger' May 12, 1942 2,350,470 Metzger June 6, 1944 

